Doomsday Grocery Store – CH46

Chapter 46

A tall, skinny man pushed the door open and entered. He was gaunt, with scruffy stubble, sun-darkened, reddish skin, and wore tattered pants. Behind him was a shorter man, similarly attired and equally disheveled.

Seeing people inside, the tall man paused, surprised.

His shorter companion shoved him impatiently. “Get in already! It’s scorching out here!”

“Damn it! There’s someone inside; don’t push me!”

The shorter man finally noticed the room’s occupants, muttering a curse under his breath. His eyes lit up briefly as he took in the elderly man and two young boys but quickly masked his expression.

Forcing a smile, he nudged the tall man aside and stepped into the room, saying, “Sorry for intruding. Mind if we share the shade?”

Without waiting for an answer, he settled into a corner. The tall man followed suit, sitting down beside him.

The room was small to begin with, and with the arrival of two adult men, it instantly felt cramped, the air noticeably stifling.

Old Li kept a cautious eye on the two men, making no move to drive them away. The wasteland was unclaimed territory, after all, and anyone could come here to escape the heat. Besides, he wasn’t confident he could protect the two boys against the men if they started a fight. Better to avoid conflict.

What had been a restful midday break was now tense.

As soon as the strangers entered, Tang Yu’an tried to blend into the background, staying hidden behind Zhou Qi and keeping his head down. He only glanced up briefly when the men started talking.

Unfortunately, that brief look led to him locking eyes with the shorter man.

The man continued talking to his companion while surreptitiously sizing up their group. When he met Tang Yu’an’s gaze, he flashed a smile as if trying to be friendly.

Only…

Seeing his yellowed teeth, Tang Yu’an admitted he was startled.

Although these were technically “new customers,” he had no interest in engaging them. He simply gave the man a quick nod before looking away, remembering Old Li’s advice—stay hidden and don’t show your teeth.

Zhou Qi moved slightly to block the men’s view of Tang Yu’an and made no effort to approach them. Since they had already completed their daily tasks, there was no need to initiate trades, especially with Old Li present, who likely preferred they avoid unnecessary interactions.

“Old man, are you folks headed to Jufeng Town?” The shorter man broke the silence, his tone jovial. “These kids—your sons or grandsons?”

Old Li didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he calmly took up his crossbow, loading an arrow as he replied, “Just my grandsons. I took them to see the city center.”

As he spoke, the head of a wild boar strapped to his pack came into view—something he planned to trade at the town market. Afterward, he intended to prepare for his next trip, which involved sneaking into a mutated lizard’s nest to collect eggs. If the mother lizard’s mutation level had indeed risen as Lin Zhen suggested, the mission would be far more challenging, and he needed all the supplies he could get.

“Impressive,” the shorter man commented, eyeing the crossbow and the menacing boar’s head. He chuckled awkwardly, sensing the old man’s skill.

Old Li didn’t respond. He merely took out some dark green poison, meticulously applying it to the metal arrowhead, which he pointed directly at the short man. The sharpened tip glinted in the sunlight filtering through the window.

The warning was clear.

The short man fell silent, though he maintained a casual smile, trying to appear unbothered. When he turned away, however, his eyes took on a dangerous glint.

His companion frowned but didn’t intervene, opting instead to grab a water bottle, gulping down some water. “Damn weather, too hot to even breathe!” he muttered, then lay down on the floor, promptly falling asleep and snoring loudly.

Tang Yu’an, who had been feeling sleepy, found himself wide awake.

How could anyone sleep with that racket?

If only he could use the Shading Umbrella, then they wouldn’t have to huddle in this crowded room… Tang Yu’an tugged on Zhou Qi’s shirt and whispered, “Let’s go outside, brother Qi.”

Zhou Qi looked back at him. The child was already sweating, and soon his face makeup would start to wear off, revealing his natural skin tone.

Turning to Old Li, Zhou Qi suggested softly, “Grandpa, let’s move on. They can have this space.”

Old Li frowned but, after considering it, nodded. The short man’s intentions didn’t seem good, and they wouldn’t be able to rest well with him around. They might as well leave and look for another place to cool off, though it would be challenging to find another shaded building.

He glanced at Tang Yu’an, a little worried, but remembering Zhou Qi’s ability to absorb heat, he felt reassured.

Swiftly gathering their belongings, Old Li led the two boys outside without a word.

“Old man, are you sure you want to leave in this heat? You’ll get sunburned,” the short man called after them as they left.

Old Li simply responded with a soft “hmph” and continued leading the boys out.

The short man clicked his tongue, glanced between his sleeping companion and the blazing sun outside, and, after hesitating for a moment, decided to follow them.

But when he reached the doorway, the trio was nowhere in sight.

Did they run that fast?

Startled, he widened his eyes and, unwilling to give up, searched around briefly. Finding no trace of them, he finally retreated back into the room to escape the scorching heat.

In reality, Old Li and the boys hadn’t gone far—they were simply sitting in the shade of a crumbling wall nearby.

Watching the short man walk past them without noticing, only to return to the room, Old Li was puzzled.

Was he blind? How could he not see them? Was his observation that poor, or…was he looking for someone else entirely?

Or maybe he spotted them but was pretending, hoping they’d drop their guard?

Old Li ran through countless scenarios in his mind, but none of them included the real reason: the Shading Umbrella was hiding them.

Before they set out, Zhou Qi had anticipated that they might need the Shading Umbrella, so he hadn’t stored it in his portable warehouse. Instead, he entrusted Tang Yu’an with it.

Once they left the small shelter, Zhou Qi brought out the umbrella and included Old Li within its shade. This way, Old Li would be able to see him and Zhou Qi the whole time, without suspecting the umbrella’s extraordinary stealth ability!

As for the temperature control function…

“This is one of the latest high-tech products developed in the fortress. It can automatically regulate temperature,” Tang Yu’an explained.

In reality, this feature alone was astonishing given the apocalyptic heat, but Tang Yu’an trusted that Old Li wouldn’t take advantage of them because of it. Just as he had felt uncomfortable around the shady man earlier, he felt a sense of ease with Old Li and was willing to place his trust in him.

Old Li merely looked surprised and nodded. “The fortress has advanced to this level already?”

Being an ability user, he was somewhat resistant to extreme temperatures, so he didn’t notice the temperature difference as much. He only felt slightly more comfortable sitting under the umbrella.

As for why the boys hadn’t brought it out sooner, or whether it was due to a lack of trust in him—Old Li didn’t mind. In fact, he would have been relieved if they had chosen not to use it at all.

Old Li quietly sat under one side of the umbrella, gazing into the endless, sun-scorched wasteland, as memories of his son flashed through his mind.

If this were before the disaster, these two could indeed have been his grandsons…

With a sigh, he closed his eyes, letting the peaceful moment wash over him.

On the other side of the umbrella, Zhou Qi held Tang Yu’an, squeezing in under its shade. The comfortable temperature made it easy to fall asleep, and before long, Tang Yu’an, exhausted, dozed off on Zhou Qi’s shoulder.

Under the Shading Umbrella’s protection, no one else bothered them. Though a couple of travelers passed by, one even engaging in an argument with the two men back at the hut, none of it affected them.

Around 2:30 in the afternoon, Tang Yu’an was gently awakened.

“Time to go. Let’s keep moving.” Old Li, looking refreshed, was ready to set out.

As he stepped out from under the umbrella, Zhou Qi quietly put it away, leaving Old Li unaware of its true power.

Tang Yu’an rubbed his eyes, and after Zhou Qi offered him a bit of glucose solution, he finally felt more alert.

He packed up, put on his sun-protective clothing, and donned his hat.

“Okay, let’s head out.”

Old Li glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and then said, “You know, you could just use the umbrella.”

Tang Yu’an felt the sweltering heat and really wanted to use it, but he knew he couldn’t. Old Li would become suspicious if he noticed its unusual effects.

“It can’t be used too often; it might break,” he fibbed.

Old Li nodded, accepting the explanation. “Alright then. Let’s pick up the pace. Once we get closer to the mountains, it’ll be cooler.”

“Alright!”

Tang Yu’an discreetly applied the lightness spell on Zhou Qi again, then climbed onto his back. “Let’s go!”

Feeling refreshed from the midday rest, he was now full of energy.

Old Li chuckled, but quickly composed himself and led them onward.

The two men they encountered earlier had left, seemingly heading toward the city center, so they didn’t expect to run into them again on the road.

But what Tang Yu’an hadn’t expected was just how difficult the journey ahead would be.

Although they had walked through the wasteland before, the path had been a worn dirt trail. Now, however, it grew increasingly uneven and riddled with fissures, as if the earth had been torn apart. Large and small cracks stretched across the ground, some so deep you couldn’t see the bottom, making you wonder if anything lived down there.

There must have been a severe earthquake here long ago, leaving such scars.

“When it rains, these crevices fill with water, and the mutated creatures living at the bottom rise to the surface. You can’t travel this road during the rainy season,” Old Li explained.

“Are there creatures down there?” Tang Yu’an asked, fascinated.

“Mm. There’s stagnant water below, and a fair number of amphibians.”

Larger ones were generally hunted by teams of ability users, leaving only small fish and critters. When it’s hot, they hide, only coming out during rainy nights.

Under Old Li’s guidance, they skirted the area, reaching a low, rock-strewn slope. Thanks to the lightness spell, Zhou Qi could hop over the rocks, but Old Li wasn’t so lucky and had to traverse the stones carefully, slowing him down.

Zhou Qi, carrying Tang Yu’an, leaped ahead and waited for Old Li to catch up, but the slope seemed safe aside from the rocks.

“Getting old, not as strong as I used to be,” Old Li muttered upon seeing Zhou Qi waiting.

Zhou Qi knew he only managed because of the lightness spell, while Old Li relied entirely on his own strength.

“Not at all. You’re in your prime,” Zhou Qi replied sincerely.

Old Li shook his head, smiling, then sat down and took a sip of water. “Actually, I took you the long way to avoid the more dangerous route, even though it’s harder to traverse.”

“Before the disaster, the roads were smooth, and we had cars. We wouldn’t have had to walk like this…”

As Old Li sighed, Tang Yu’an froze as a system notification appeared in his vision.

[Notice! Side Quest Triggered: “To Get Rich, Build a Road First”]

[Quest: “To Get Rich, Build a Road First”]

[Description: To boost traffic to the General Store, road repairs are urgently needed.]

[Mission Objectives:]
[1. Construct a smooth, passable road between Wasteland City and Jufeng Town (0/1).]
[2. Ensure the road passes through the Grocery Store (0/1).]

[Rewards: Randomized Points (up to 5,000), Landmark Building (Flag Sign)*1, Traffic Booster Card (48 Hours)*1, 3 Spins on the Lucky Wheel.]

*

A new mission!

At first glance, Tang Yu’an was thrilled with the mission objectives, but soon his mind filled with questions.

To be honest, the promise of up to 5,000 points was highly tempting, but to actually build a road? Really? Isn’t that a bit of a stretch? They’re just two people!

As Zhou Qi paused again to wait for Old Li, Tang Yu’an shared the mission details with him.

Zhou Qi also frowned a bit.

“A task this massive is impossible for the two of us alone. The system really likes to throw challenges our way!”

Zhou Qi thought for a moment and replied, “We can’t do it now, but it doesn’t mean we won’t be able to in the future.”

The Grocery Store was located in Wasteland City—it was their foundation and home base. They couldn’t just leave it behind, and each trip to the settlement was long and cumbersome. For now, they were lucky to have Chi Hao to help watch the store, water the plants, and clean up, but he couldn’t stay indefinitely. Eventually, the same problem would arise.

Creating a more accessible road might be a good plan in the future, especially if Wasteland City could grow in population like Jufeng Town. That way, they wouldn’t have to make these long, frequent trips.

“We’ll tackle it little by little,” Zhou Qi said, smiling. “We can think of a way later.”

“Right, makes sense.”

Tang Yu’an shook off his doubts and perked up. “The points reward is high, and there’s a landmark building in the reward list. I wonder if it has any special functions.”

If they could complete it and earn the rewards, it’d be worth it!

*

Soon, Old Li caught up with them. After scaling a low slope, they encountered a river blocking the path.

“This is probably the most dangerous area on the route,” Old Li said. “Right now, it’s the dry season, so the river is only a few meters wide. But the river beasts are clustered and more aggressive, so make sure you don’t fall in.”

“Are there mutated creatures in the river?” Tang Yu’an asked.

“Of course,” Old Li replied. “They can leap out of the water to catch prey, so we need to cross quickly.”

He led the boys along the riverbank until they reached an iron suspension bridge. The bridge was several meters above the river, and many of the wooden planks were either rotting or had already fallen away, leaving only the iron chains. One misstep could mean a fatal plunge.

Old Li handed Zhou Qi a metal loop and pointed to a separate iron chain on the bridge. “Hook this loop onto that chain and tie the other end around yourself. That way, if you misstep, you won’t fall into the river.”

Zhou Qi took the loop and hooked it onto the chain, hearing a satisfying click as the metal connected.

Suddenly, from below, a fish shot up from the river’s surface, barely missing the bridge as it leaped. Just as it was about to reach its peak, it ran out of momentum and plunged back into the water.

The fish was almost a meter long, with a mouthful of sharp teeth. Zhou Qi recognized it immediately—wasn’t that a piranha? Only a much larger version.

He glanced at the river, feeling a sense of dread. With a river full of these creatures, the chances of surviving a fall were slim to none.

Even Old Li seemed a bit unnerved. “They’re jumping higher than they used to,” he muttered. “They never used to pose a threat to the bridge, but as their mutation level increases, they’re almost hitting it now.”

He glanced at Zhou Qi with a worried expression.

Zhou Qi tested the loop again. While the loop itself was sturdy, the chain it attached to had rusted with age, leaving red powder on his fingers. Glancing once more at the leaping piranhas below, he hesitated, then removed the loop and handed it back to Old Li.

“What’s wrong?” Old Li asked, puzzled.

“It limits my movement,” Zhou Qi explained. “I’ll take An An across first, then come back for you.”

With only about ten meters to cross, and some chain connections to grab for stability, Zhou Qi figured they didn’t need the added hassle of the loop—especially since it might not even be safe.

“An An?”

“Ready!”

Tang Yu’an climbed onto Zhou Qi’s back, and to be extra cautious, tied a strap around both their waists to keep them securely connected.

Once prepared, Zhou Qi took a few steps back, then leaped into the air, clearing the distance in one smooth jump and landing on the other side with ease.

Old Li stared, stunned. His jaw dropped as Zhou Qi turned and effortlessly jumped back over to fetch him.

“Such… youth… astonishing!”

Old Li sighed, then accepted Zhou Qi’s help without resistance.

Crossing the slope earlier, he realized that he might be holding back the two kids. If not for his role as a guide, maybe they wouldn’t even need his company, considering they were brave enough to leave the fortress on their own. Clearly, they weren’t as weak as he’d assumed.

Old Li packed up his belongings, climbed onto Zhou Qi’s back as Tang Yu’an had done, and with a leap, they crossed to the other side of the river. The mutated creatures in the river posed no threat.

Once across, Old Li climbed off Zhou Qi’s back, returning his spot to Tang Yu’an. Although the “flying through the air” experience was thrilling, he preferred feeling the ground beneath his feet.

“Let’s keep moving.”

As the sky darkened, Zhou Qi’s lightness spell ended, and his pace slowed. Old Li didn’t suspect anything, assuming he was simply tired.

*

By the time they reached the mountain’s base, it was completely dark, and the temperature had dropped sharply.

“This is as far as we go today. We’ll get an early start tomorrow.”

With no remnants of human civilization nearby, they chose a spot with rocks to shield them from the wind and set up camp.

While Zhou Qi gathered wood for a fire, Tang Yu’an and Old Li set up the tent. Tang Yu’an’s tent was much newer—something Tang’s father had bought to take him camping on weekends, though it hadn’t been used often. Fortunately, the night was dim, and the dark tent color wouldn’t draw attention.

When Zhou Qi returned with wood, Old Li was about to demonstrate fire-starting with friction when he saw Tang Yu’an take out a box of matches. A quick strike, and a flame sprang up.

Old Li: “…”

All right then. He quietly stowed his fire-starting tools.

The fire crackled to life, and Zhou Qi started preparing dinner.

Old Li pulled out a piece of wild boar meat, intending to roast it directly over the flames. Zhou Qi took it instead, washing and scoring it before wrapping it in foil with seasonings.

“Let it marinate a bit first—it’ll be more flavorful that way.”

Old Li watched Zhou Qi, mesmerized. Such a meticulous approach to cooking in the wilderness was unusual, but…

He swallowed, anticipating for dinner.

As the meat marinated, Zhou Qi got a pot of water boiling, preparing soup and steaming some buns at the same time.

When Zhou Qi took a small pot from his backpack, Old Li could only stare, speechless.

Eventually, he too received a large, fluffy bun. Not the dense wheat buns from earlier but a soft white bun made with fine flour, filled with a savory stuffing.

Taking a bite, Old Li’s eyes misted over.

A warm, fluffy bun… He thought he’d never taste one of these again.

“Grandpa, here’s your soup.”

Old Li blinked back his tears, accepting the wooden bowl Tang Yu’an handed over. He was about to say thank you when he caught sight of Tang Yu’an’s bright, cheerful eyes lit by the fire.

In those clear, innocent eyes, Old Li saw glimpses of a carefree world from before the catastrophe. In such moments, he felt… truly happy.

Holding his soup, glancing at the half-eaten bun in his hand, and seeing the two boys chatting by the fire, he couldn’t help but smile. They were like two small flames in the darkness, young yet warm enough to bring light.

“An An,” Old Li said suddenly.

“Hm?”

“After dinner, I’ll teach you how to use the crossbow.”

Tang Yu’an cheered, “Awesome! Grandpa, you’re the best!”

The night was filled with the sounds of insects chirping, and the temperature continued to drop. Tang Yu’an, bundled in a long-sleeved jacket, was spending his first night out in the wilderness, keenly feeling the sharp temperature drop on the wasteland.

He took a bite of his warm bun and sipped on the wild vegetable and mushroom soup. The warmth seeped into him, keeping the night’s chill at bay. Glancing over at Zhou Qi, who had finally settled down to eat, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but smile, scooting closer to lean against him.

Once they’d finished their buns, Zhou Qi placed the foil-wrapped boar meat in the fire to cook.

Watching Zhou Qi adjust the fire, Old Li hesitated, then asked, “About those matches… do you have more of them?”

Old Li was familiar with matches and knew how to use them. He hadn’t seen any in years, but it seemed the fortress still had some production capabilities.

“We do,” Tang Yu’an replied, pulling out a water bottle instead of handing over the matchbox. “But we’d need to trade it for purified water.”

He’d used the water in the bottle for soup, and if they could refill it, they’d have about a liter left for the next day.

“Deal.”

Old Li took the water bottle and moved away from the fire. The dew-heavy night air would make collecting water straightforward, and matches would be extremely useful, especially for someone with his ability to gather moisture.

As he watched, Tang Yu’an felt at ease, reassured by the warmth of the fire and the thought of fresh water for tomorrow. The camp felt peaceful under the vast night sky.

The night deepened, dew forming heavily in the air, and the river nearby added to the moisture. Watching Old Li gather purified water, Tang Yu’an turned to Zhou Qi and mouthed, “Do you want to try learning this?”

Zhou Qi nodded.

Just like when he’d observed Chi Hao’s heat absorption, he could sense how to channel and gather fire energy within himself. Now, watching Old Li manipulate water molecules, he felt a similar intuition forming. To avoid alerting Old Li, however, Zhou Qi chose not to try it immediately, instead quietly observing and mentally noting down the sensation.

Tang Yu’an, not wanting to interrupt, sat silently nearby.

*

Soon, Tang Yu’an began feeling bored and retreated into the tent. The small orange cat, which had been asleep after its milk, opened its eyes briefly, saw that it was only Tang Yu’an, and settled back down. Moving away from the fire, Tang Yu’an felt the chill and snuggled the cat against him, tucking it inside his coat like a little heater.

Black Pearl didn’t resist, seeming content to stay cozily nestled there. After adjusting to a comfortable position, it drifted back to sleep.

Sitting cross-legged, Tang Yu’an opened his system interface, curious about the new exchangeable items in the store.

[Store Items]
[Millet: 5 points/100g]
[Bandage Strips: 5 points/box (10 strips)]
[White Vinegar: 10 points/100ml]

Wow, millet and vinegar now! Bandage strips, too—practical for treating minor wounds.

Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but wish for more items like soy sauce or other seasonings. Though they’d stocked plenty of seasonings in the shop, eventually, they would run out. Life would lose so much flavor without them!

Next, he opened the newly upgraded “Interplanar Store” he’d unlocked that day.

A fresh interface appeared.

What used to be a simple “Buying” page was now split into two sections: one for items other merchants were selling and another for “My Items for Sale.”

Now, each section displayed items in a series of square windows, with pictures and a “favorites” button. Clicking on an item showed stock availability. For now, Tang Yu’an could only sell one item at a time; once sold, the window disappeared. Would the sellable quantity increase with higher levels?

He also noticed a search bar at the upper right for filtering items, along with a wider range of goods—alongside the cold medicine, basic healing bandages, and fruits he didn’t recognize, he saw the addition of a low-level recovery potion and various minerals.

Sorting by price, Tang Yu’an noticed that even the cheapest recovery potion was 700 points, and healing bandages still cost 1,000 points each.

It made sense, though; while bandages in the seven-day sale were cheaper, they could save lives. Demand would keep prices high in private trade.

Looking at the fruits and minerals, he saw nothing priced below 1,000 points—still far beyond his reach.

However, he did see some practical items, like breadfruit. This fruit tasted like buttery bread and could be a staple food, thriving in dry climates with high yields. Though low in nutrition, it was a convenient food source. Interestingly, it could also be planted, though each breadfruit could only grow one tree with sterile fruit.

So that’s how it worked! Some vendors had even monopolized interplanar items like breadfruit.

The thought reminded Tang Yu’an of the mutant lantern fruit he’d sold, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. Should he have sold it the same way? The lantern fruit was unique to his world, after all…

He quickly dismissed the thought. They didn’t have the technology to make his fruit seedless and proprietary. Even without seeds, plants could be reproduced by tissue culture. The breadfruit’s sterility was likely achieved through genetic engineering, a technological feat not possible in a post-apocalyptic world like theirs.

The store showed the breadfruit’s world ID as KJ58426—so “KJ” worlds were high-tech, then.

Shaking his head, he focused on more affordable things. Although sterile, a 1,000-point breadfruit tree might still be useful to plant… but his balance was only 3,849 points.

He quickly closed the page.

They weren’t short on food, so buying breadfruit could wait. The growth cycle would likely be long, at least a year or two without Granny Guo’s ability to speed it up.

Though it was wise to plan long-term, they had just begun, and their points needed to be saved for more immediate needs.

Still, he marked the breadfruit to his favorites.

Later, when he had more points, he’d like to buy one to try! A fruit that tasted like buttered bread sounded too good not to taste.

Tang Yu’an opened his sales window again; the page views were only 11, and there were zero favorites. Looking at the data, it seemed a bit dismal, and he wasn’t sure if it would sell by tomorrow.

But even if it didn’t sell, it didn’t matter. After all, storing it in his portable warehouse would keep it fresh, so he didn’t have to worry about spoilage.

He then downgraded the authorization of the “Remote Retrieval” skill to Zhou Qi and decided to try it out himself.

Tang Yu’an stretched out his hand, and a plush toy appeared out of thin air—it was the teddy bear he had taken from the attic, his sister’s hugging pillow.

Holding the fluffy toy was indeed comforting.

Of course, it wasn’t as warm as holding the little kitten.

Tang Yu’an then put the plush toy back into the general store’s warehouse—he could take any item from the grocery store at will, but when putting things back, he could only place them in the warehouse.

So this skill still had certain limitations; if the warehouse space wasn’t enough, the items couldn’t be put back.

He placed the toy on a shelf in the warehouse, then retrieved it into his hand again. After playing a few times, he finally stopped and opened the Lucky Wheel to start the draw.

*

On the other side, at the Peace Groceryl Store.

After dinner, Chi Hao was cleaning the store under Yuan Bao’s watchful eye.

“Honestly, didn’t An An and the others already clean this morning? It’s only been a day; there’s no need to clean again, right?”

Yuan Bao didn’t respond, just squatted there, eyes fixed intently on him, then bared its teeth at him.

Chi Hao immediately behaved himself.

He never would have thought that, besides having the mysterious merchant’s employment through the grocery store, the two seemingly ordinary teenagers would have such a trump card—

A four-eyed hound with maxed-out speed talent!

And it could mimic a cute little puppy!

This was just too much; appearing as an unweaned puppy but actually a ferocious mutant creature.

Even at his peak, Chi Hao wouldn’t dare to face it alone, let alone now when he was injured; he could only obediently perform his duties and clean properly.

Just as he was cleaning the warehouse…

Chi Hao looked up and saw a plush toy on top of the cabinet.

Something very common before the apocalypse, but after the apocalypse, it had become a luxury item that only a few could afford.

Chi Hao was about to reach out and take it to play with when he saw… the plush toy disappeared into thin air!

What was going on?

The next second, the plush toy that was originally on the top shelf of the cabinet suddenly appeared on the second shelf.

Chi Hao thought he was seeing things. He blinked hard, then saw the plush toy disappear again.

He stared wide-eyed at the cabinet but found that the plush toy didn’t reappear.

Chi Hao felt he must have been mistaken. He lowered his head and continued cleaning. Soon, out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of something. He turned his head and met the round, black eyes of the plush teddy bear—

It had appeared on the shelf behind him, who knows how long it had been watching him!